1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to shoe ventilation and, more particularly, to accelerating a large volume of low velocity stale air within a shoe by using a smaller volume of high velocity air.
2. Description of Related Art
Stale air collected within a shoe, particularly at the enclosed toe region, is generally discharged from a ventilated shoe by a pumping action generated by an on-board pump during walking. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,441,879; 2,668,372; 4,654,982; 4,760,651 and 4,974,342.
Experience has shown, however, that the known ventilated shoes, nevertheless, allow odor and perspiration to build up. The known ventilated shoes employ a foot-operated pump on the shoe in which a predetermined volume of stale air enters the pump and a lesser volume or, at best, the same volume of stale air is discharged by the pump. The volume of stale air that enters the pump is usually a very small amount and, as a result, one must repeatedly activate the pump by walking or running a great deal in order to adequately ventilate the shoe. There are times when such excessive activity is not desired or possible.